Prof. Dr. Alexander Trunk Vorlesung / Course Introduction to Comparative Law Einführung in die Rechtsvergleichung Winter term (WS) 2018-2019 http://www.eastlaw.uni-kiel.de

14.11.2018: Methods (fin.). Legal families (overview) 17.10.2018: Basic questions and structures of comparative law 24.10.2018 Structures and methods of comparative law 31.10.2018: Holiday 07.11.2018: Structures (cont‘d). Methods of comparative law 14.11.2018: Methods (fin.). Legal families (overview) 21.11.2018: German legal family (deutscher Rechtskreis) 28.11.2018: French legal family 05.12.2018: Anglo-American legal family 12.12.2018: The legal systems in Northern and Eastern Europe 19.12.2018: Legal systems in Asia 09.01.2019: Religious laws, in particular Islamic law 16.01.2019: Contract law I (Vertragsrecht) 23.01.2019: Contract law II 30.01.2019: Torts law (Deliktsrecht) 06.02.2019: Property law (Sachenrecht) 13.02.2019: Civil procedure

Methods of comparative law: tasks of comparative law Scientific function  Forensic-practical function Legislative function

Steps of comparison 1) Formulate the research question 2) Find the applicable legal norms or jurisprudence. Quote exactly! 3) Common elements 4) Differences 5) Which are the underlying (possibly diverging) values? 6) Make your own evaluation 7) Consequences, e.g. proposal de lege ferenda

Comparative analysis of case law Finding the relevant case or cases Understanding the case(s) Interpreting the case from a comparative perspective

Example for comparative analysis of court decisions Please compare the judgment of the German Supreme Court of 28 May 2014, VIII ZR 410/12 (http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/140528g1.html) with the judgment of the US Supreme Court of …, A. v. B. (554 U.S. 222 (2008)). Or: Please give an analysis of the judgment of the French Cour de cassation of … and compare it with [e.g.] German law … Or: Please give a comparative analysis (from the perspective of [e.g.] German law) to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of …

Case law analysis, e.g. foreign court, several courts, international court The problem The facts The decision: contents, structure, procedure (e.g. preceding decisions), argumentation. The issues in context of the relevant legal norms and other jurisprudence Critique Possibly comparison Conclusions, e.g. evaluation of the decisions, legislative proposals

Citation techniqe Principle: quote everything which you have not imagined yourself. Even in „introduction“. Sources of your own country: quote as usual. When publishing in foreign language, follow quotation style of target country. Foreign sources: in principle according to the standards of the source country, - Laws/treaties etc. in original title with date of adoption and entering into force, last amendment, official bulletin, auxiliary: Internet (last consulted on …). - Example literature: Collins, L., Some Aspects of Service out of the Jurisdiction, (1972) 21 ICLQ 656 (658 f.) - Example jurisprudence: Cass Civ, 4.3.1980, Bull Civ I Nr. 72

List of citations and abbreviations Distinguish between legal literature, sources of law and jurisprudence. Numbering of sources not necessary. Sources of law and jurisprudence not necessarily mentioned in the list of citations, but only in the main text Literature should be quoted as exactly as usual and necessary. It may be usual or required to include Internet sources in the list of citations or only in the main text (ask!). Sub-structure of literature list may differ, e.g. source in different languages or on different countries. Abbreviations: all uncommon abbrevations and abbreviations for terms under foreign law are necessary. General language abbreviations need not be in included in the list of abbrevations.

Legal families: concept and structures Concept: groups of legal systems with major common features. Usually focus on civil law. Critique: artificiality, differences more important than commonalities, every system is „mixed“, Eurocentrism Common elements: „common“ major legislation (e.g. Civil Codes, Commercial Codes) common systematic approaches common legal history common „typical“ elements common methods of jurisprudence common methods of interpretation common approaches to legal practice in general, „legal culture“ … „Internal“ differences within each family

Major legal families German legal family: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, … French legal family: France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Québec, parts of Africa … Anglo-American legal family („Common Law“): U.K. (England/Wales), Ireland, Commonwealth countries, USA Nordic legal family Laws (legal families?) in Eastern Europe: „law in transition“, post-Soviet specifics? Laws (legal families?) in Asia, in particular East Asia Religious laws „Mixed jurisdictions“: e.g. civil law – common law, secular law – religious law. See South Africa, Israel, Scotland, Louisiana, India, Philippines, …

German legal family: basic Codes in Austria, Germany and Switzerland

Quebec is a province in east-central Canada Quebec is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province that has a predominantly French-speaking population, and the only one to have French as its sole provincial official language. Quebec is Canada's largest province by area and its second-largest administrative division; Quebec is Canada's second most populous province, after Ontario.